外贸企业在日常商贸往来过程中都是和国外用户接触，因此维护客户的方法有哪些这一问题必须关注，而且在相关维护方式方面要考虑到贸易方的国情以及文化背景，只有如此在客户维护时才不会出现问题，确保拥有长期融洽业务往来关系促进业务发展。

沃尔玛采购部门负责人汤普森曾经在这一问题上进行了深入浅出的点评，在他接受美国周刊采访时曾谈到了,如何维护客户关系问题，他指出在维护客户关系时要充分考虑到用户的实际需求以及建立用户信誉。

When maintaining customer relationship, we should fully consider the actual needs of users and establish user reputation.

汤普森表示，The core issue to be concerned about in establishing user reputation is commitment. Don't make promises easily. once promises are made, they must be achieved afterwards. It can't appear in the corresponding business process that promises are made but not acted upon. This will reduce the trust of users to enterprises, and ultimately reduce the harmony between enterprises and enterprises.

建立用户信誉所需要关注的核心问题是承诺，不要轻易许诺，一旦许诺，在此后就一定要达成，不能够出现在相应业务往来过程中已然许诺却不付之行动问题，这会减低用户对于企业的信任，最终和企业的合作关系融洽度降低。

汤普森用自己的案例进行了说明

在我年轻的时候还是采购部的一名业务员，当时和一家大型生鲜供应商达成业务往来关系，已经有一年的时间，公司内部年末时推出了一项给供货商返利优惠的条款，但在当时董事会并没有通过我通过内部关系了解了相关内容之后就给我负责的这一生鲜供应商许诺将会在年底获得的优惠返利，但实际上在年底董事会决议中这一举措并没有通过，而后期我也无法兑现这一承诺，后来这一供应商离开了我们转头和我们竞争的对手，如果当时没有将这一信息透露给该供应商，不会让这位供应商抱有期盼，即使后期没有相关优惠举措，这一供应商也不会离开我们，这让我们美国本土沃尔玛损失很大，短期之内寻找生鲜供应商不是问题，但是所付出的资金支出要远高于此前的成本支出。之所以我能够在这些年成长起来和这一案例有着密切的联系性，不轻易许下承诺，一旦许下承诺就要付之行动。

“When I was young, I was a salesman in the purchasing department. I had a business relationship with a large fresh supplier. It had been a year since the end of the year, the company introduced a clause of rebate concessions for suppliers. But at that time, the board of directors did not know the relevant content through my internal relations. After that, the fresh supplier I was responsible for promised a preferential rebate at the end of the year. But in fact, this measure was not passed in the resolution of the board of directors at the end of the year. Later, I couldn't fulfill this promise. Later, the supplier left us to turn to our competitors, if it hadn't been done at that time. The information disclosed to the supplier will not make the supplier look forward to, even if there is no relevant preferential measures in the later period, the supplier will not leave us, which has caused great losses to Wal-Mart in the United States. It is not a problem to find fresh suppliers in the short term, but the financial expenditure is much higher than the previous achievements. This expenditure. The reason why I was able to grow up in these years and this case has a close connection, not easy to make promises, once made promises to be put into action.”

涉外企业维护客户的方法有哪些?这一问题可以总结为三个方面，首先是拉近和客户的距离，其次是建立客户信誉，最后是互利互惠原则，对于多数企业而言如何拉近客户距离了解得都较为透彻，例如采用日常短信电话沟通，或者是互联网工具沟通等等，并且会时常举行业年会，但是对于如何建立客户信誉这一点，很多企业并没有付诸行动，而且在实际和采买方维护关系时，也并没有在多个部门达成共识。

多数行业学者认为涉外企业需关注到维护客户相关利益链条中的共性增强。

The fundamental reason why the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity can be established lies in the user's trust in the enterprise. If the user does not have any credibility for the enterprise, he will not be able to talk about the principle of mutual benefit and reciprocity. Therefore, in order to achieve mutual benefit and reciprocity, this ultimately can satisfy both the seller and the buyer. In order to build up customer reputation, this way of customer reputation is the key link between the preceding and the following three key points in maintaining customer relationship. There must be no negligence in this respect.

互利互惠原则之所以能够建立起来，其根本就在于用户对于企业的信任，如果用户对于企业没有任何忠诚度，也就无从谈起互利互惠原则，因此想要达到互利互惠，最终让销售方和购买方都满意，建立客户信誉度就极为必要，这一客户信誉度是在如上三个维护客户关系重点中承上启下的关键所在，这方面一定不能够有任何疏忽，关注到这一点涉外企业即使在全球贸易环境恶劣情况下依然可以维持此前客户关系，确保企业可正常运转规避资产负增长。